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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22415746">Sweet Dreams</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sycopomp/pseuds/Sycopomp'>Sycopomp</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Dummy's Dummy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 15:35:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>825</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22415746</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sycopomp/pseuds/Sycopomp</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A good mom picks up her child's toy and tucks it back in with her daughter. Nora is a good mom. And Paris... is a toy.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Yumi Wright &amp; Paris the Puppet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>69</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Sweet Dreams</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I can't go 48hr in a new fandom without writing <i>something</i>. Damn it. </p><p>I binge read The Dummy's Dummy yesterday, and then reread it immediately, and then read it twice today at work. And then I wrote this, also at work. And now I'm posting it at 3:30am.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The window creaked in its frame as it was coaxed open from the outside. Cool night air spilled in like a slow fog, rolling along the floor before the room’s warmth dispersed it. The darkness inside was somehow deeper than the one outside; a full moon and a sky filled with stars and a street lined with lamps brought more light to the night than was usually possible at the witching hour. </p><p>The curtains billowed in with the breeze, and a silhouette stood against the full moon in the window. Sliding the window slowly closed behind it, then drawing the curtains once more shut, it began a slow advance across the room. Silent steps carried it toward the bed, where a girl’s soft breaths were the only sound. </p><p>Stopping at its edge, Paris scrutinized Yumi’s sleeping face, too at peace to be dreaming of horrendous futures coming to pass. Tonight would not be one for premonition. Despite the inconvenience, he felt no irritation. Yumi needed a good night’s sleep, though he made a point not to analyze what feeling accompanied this thought. </p><p>Brushing fingertips along the fringe of her bangs, he waited for a long moment, then coaxed the blanket from her feeble grasp and tucked it up under her chin. She didn’t stir, only nestling nearer to the sheets until her nose was buried beneath their cover. Feeling his lips quirk, Paris gave her head a single, light pat before turning his attention to the dresser. </p><p>The door’s hinges whispered, only just enough of a sound for his eyes to dart over. He hadn’t thought to listen for footsteps, though that should have been second nature when you were hiding your existence. He felt a momentary stab of self-reproach; he kept letting his guard down when Yumi preoccupied his thoughts. It was becoming an unsavory habit.</p><p>A shaft of light fell across his shoe from the hall, and he hissed out a breath. There was no helping it.</p><p>As the door eased another few inches open, Nora peered around the corner, not wanting to let the light land on Yumi’s face. Her heart softened at the sight of Yumi’s sleeping expression, more serene than she or Atsuko had seen her in days. It brought an unbelievable relief to see Yumi like this.</p><p>Drawing back to retreat, Nora paused at the sight of something strewn across the ground. Stepping into the doorway, she pushed the door open a bit farther to expose what it was.</p><p>Yumi’s doll. Or, puppet? It looked out of place, collapsed a few feet from her bed. Nora let herself in, creeping across the room and crouching to pick him up. His head lolled back on a ball joint, vacant eyes and vacant smile staring skyward past her shoulder. </p><p>Her conversation with Atsuko came to mind as she appraised it. Unsure whether it was cute or creepy after all, Nora shrugged rather than ponder it further; Yumi clearly liked it, and that was enough for her. Standing, she smiled down at it. Another quiet step forward brought her to Yumi’s bedside, and Nora gently drew back the blanket enough to tuck the puppet underneath. Yumi’s arm shifted instinctively to embrace the doll, drawing it closer to her chest as the blanket was replaced over her.</p><p>Unable to help herself, Nora brushed her lips through Yumi’s bangs before leaving, closing the door with a quiet <i>click</i> behind her.</p><p>Waiting several moments to ensure the meddlesome mother wouldn’t return with yet more sentiments, Paris finally let himself relax with a rough sigh. Fingers twitching, he grasped at the sheets and began extricating himself, ready to retake his place on the dresser.</p><p>Instead, Yumi’s grip tightened noticeably around him, and Paris went still. Her hand curled under him, drew him closer, away from the edge, and he let himself go limp as she hugged him. Just his luck that he would get the one child in the world that didn’t accidentally knock their toys off the bed in their sleep. </p><p>Of course Yumi would be the type to ensure a toy remained safely on the bed even while she slept. After another few moments of trying to shimmy away, even going so far as to tuck the blanket into her hand in an attempt to appease her unconscious cuddling, Paris finally gave up. Flopping down, he closed his eyes and tried to ignore the rise and fall of her chest, the subtle beat of her heart against his back, the breath that stirred his hair. </p><p>It was impossible to ignore-- and impossibly, comforting. He found himself drifting into sleep (or whatever his equivalent was, not that he would know what to call it) with surprising ease. Morning would come with a guaranteed outburst of embarrassment from Yumi… but Paris would deal with that at the time. For now, he let himself let go of the tensions of his purpose, and sank into blissful unawareness.</p>
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